Point S celebrates 50 years

The year 2021 is the Golden Jubilee of Point S, the multi-national tyre and car maintenance group and, to mark this milestone, the company takes a look back at 50 successful years – and a look forward too.

Back in 1971, the market for tyres, car accessories and repairs was very different from what it is now, with motorists’ choice of brands limited to what the local garage had in stock at the time. Things began to change when 50 French independent garage owners came together with the aim of offering new and higher standards of service, a better choice of products and competitive prices. And so, Point S was born.

Growth was steady and the organisation took its first steps outside France in 1989, when it partnered with a network of similar companies in Germany and, later, in other European countries.

A further breakthrough came in 2012 when Point S branched out outside Europe, with properties in South Africa and the USA. Today, Point S is represented in 46 different companies, on four continents and with more than 5,600 points of sale – and the company’s expansion continues, with strong growth in Asia; particularly in China, where the brand launched in 2019. For many in the tyre – and indeed, in many other – industries, 2020 was something of a disaster with the COVID pandemic disrupting businesses and markets around the globe, with many national markets in turmoil.

However, despite this upheaval, the Point S network has continued to grow and, last year, 200 new points of sale joined the group and new markets were opened up in Ukraine, Senegal and Cameroon. Despite the difficult economic times, the annual global consolidated turnover for the Point S group in 2020 was comparable to the 2019 figure at 3.5 billion euros. This is largely due to growth in North America and Asia, offsetting the decline in Europe.

Looking ahead

This much is history, but what lies ahead for Point S? In order to celebrate the Golden Jubilee with its members, the group is launching the 5^th Annual International Challenge; an incentive that rewards members’ loyalty to the group’s supplier policy for passenger and heavy goods tyres.

In addition, the group is keen to support the purchasing power of its network, particularly in Europe, a region of the world more strongly impacted by the pandemic context, and the international Headquarters of the brand has sent each of its members a cheque book of vouchers valid for orders from its equipment and accessories partner suppliers (not just for tyres but also for spare parts, lubricants and other vehicle equipment). This operation represents support for the purchasing power for the members to the tune of several million euros. Customers have not been forgotten either; Point S will launch promotional plans in each market where they are present on the theme of the brand’s 50 years. Not only that, but the Group has also gone one step further and is also running a major European campaign linked to the forthcoming UEFA European Championship.

Speaking about what this special year means to the organisation, Fabien Bouquet, International CEO of Point S, says; “Our international news for this year, the 50th anniversary of our brand, promises to be rich in new developments, marketing and commercial activities to support our members and customers during this particularly complex time and in the context of the COVID pandemic that we are experiencing.

“Our independence, a guarantee of our flexibility and responsiveness, has enabled us to adapt quickly to the current crisis. It means that we have been able to work on the changing scenarios of our market, which are sure to accelerate in the years to come. The growth and innovation opportunities of our network remain significant for the coming decades, bearing in mind our primary mission of supporting the profitability of our members.”